A park café has celebrated its launch under new operators, who say they are excited to take the venue on.

Redhill Park café, formerly known as Fox Café, has been taken over by charity The Parks Foundation along with the café in Boscombe Chine Gardens.

The park was packed as visitors enjoyed the sunshine at the grand reopening on Wednesday, May 31, making the most of the paddling pool in the sun.

Rachelle Lawley, the new café manager, said she 'can’t wait to see what we can do here'.

Bournemouth Echo: New cafe manager at Redhill Park Cafe, Rachelle Lawley.

“I want to make it somewhere that people feel safe to come to,” she said.

“Knit and natters, any craft sessions, game board sessions, any local groups that want to come in.

“This is fantastic but you’ve got to think ahead to the colder months when people are going to want to come inside for a warm space, have that companionship.

“I really want to make it a community space, that’s my drive, just to make sure everyone feels welcomed and loved.”

The charity works across parks in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, and has four sites in the area.

Bournemouth Echo: Ward councillors Stephen Bartlett and Jackie Edwards with The Parks Foundation chief executive

Chief executive of the charity, Cathi Farrer, said the charity aims to enhance parks in the conurbation.

“We first opened a community café in Winton Recreation Ground just a couple of miles down the road in 2019,” she said.

“That was the pilot to test whether or not we could rejuvenate a park by creating a real hub in the middle of the park.

“We’ve got now three community cafes as well as the visitor centre at Kingfisher Barn on Stour Valley Nature Reserve.”

Ward councillor for Redhill and Northbourne, Stephen Bartlett, said it was ‘wonderful’ to have the café open again.

Bournemouth Echo: Redhill Park Cafe.

“It’s now got a good future with The Parks Foundation,” he said.

“I think it should promote the green agenda and sustain the climate emergency that the council has announced.

“We’re looking forward to all the community activities that The Parks Foundation are going to put on for the community.”

Cllr Bartlett’s ward colleague Jackie Edwards said Redhill Park is ‘an absolute gem of all the parks in Bournemouth’.

“Now we’ve got the café open that’s even better, we’ve got the paddling pool which is packed today, we’ve got the play park, we’ve got the tennis courts, we’ve got the hug green space, we’ve got the woods,” Cllr Edwards said.

“We’ve got absolutely everything.”

The café will be open year-round, seven days a week over the summer months, from 9.30am to 5pm.